Apparatus for changing blast-furnace bells.



No. 792,047. PATENTED JUNE 13, 1905. W. KENNEDY.

APPARATUS FOR CHANGING BLAST FURNACE BELLS.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 1,1904. I

2 SHEETS-SHEET l FIGJ- %\:ITNESSES: F INVENTOR 8P6 M 5%. -4 MM 9W 4W Attvs No. 792,047. PATENTED JUNE 13, 1905.:v W. KENNEDY. APPARATUS EOE CHANGING BLAST FURNACE BELLS.

APPLIOATION FILED MAY 4.1904.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2 UQQLG W 1 4 4% clwza b UNITED STATES Patented June 13, 1905.

PATENT OFFICE.

APPARATUS FOR CHANGING BLAST-FURNACE BELLS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 792,047, dated June 13, 1905.

Application filed May 4, 1904. Serial No. 206,398.

To all whmn it may concern:

Be it known that I, \VALTER KENNEDY, a citizen of the United States, residing at Allegheny, in the county of Allegheny and State of Pennsylvania, have invented or discovered certain new and useful Improvements in Apparatus for Changing Blast-Furnace Bells, of which improvement the following is a specification.

The invention described herein relates to certain improvements in apparatus for changing the bell and bell-ring of blast-furnaces,

and has for its object the employment of the usual bell-operating mechanism for raising the bell and the hopper, which has its lower portion formed by a bell-ring to sucha height as will permit the removal of the bell-ring and bell from position over the furnace and the substitution of new parts therefor.

The invention is hereinafter more fully de scribed and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, Figure 1 is a top plan view of a furnace having my improvements applied thereto. Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the top of afurnace having my improvements applied thereto.

In the practice of my invention the main or charging hopper 1, with a distributinghopper 2, is constructed and arranged in the usual or any suitable manner on top of the furnace. As is customary, the bell-ring 3 is supported on top of the furnace and is secured to the upper portion of the charginghopper thereof by bolts and nuts. The bell 4 is connected by a rod 5 to a lever 6, whereby the bell may be raised and lowered in the normal operation of the furnace. The lever is connected by a pitman 7 to the operating mechanism, which preferably consists of a lever 8, having one end fulcrumed to part of the framework on top of the furnace and the other end connected to the piston-rod of a fluid-pressure cylinder 9. Normally this ap paratus is employed for raising and lowering the bell 4 to permit of the charging and discharge of the material into and from the main hopper. When it is desired to change the bell and bell-ring, the lever 6 is connected by 5 a chain 10 to some stationary portion of the furnace, such as the hook 11, secured to the platform surrounding the top of the furnace. The pitman 7 is then disconnected from the lever 8, as by the removal of the pin 12, and fluid-pressure admitted to cylinder 9 to raise the lever 8 up along the pitman and said parts at a new point on the pitman, as by inserting the pin 12 in a hole a in the pitman. The lever is drawn down, thereby pulling down the outer end of the lever 6 and raising bell, bell ring, and other parts supported thereby. The chain 11 is then connected to the hook at another point, as the ring 6, the lever 7 and pitman 8 disconnected, the lever raised, the pitman and lever again connected at a new point, and the lever drawn down, thereby lifting the bell, bell-ring, &c., another step. This operation is continued until the bell, bellring, &c., are raised to the desired height, when the upper portion 1 of the distributing-hopper is connected by hooks or chains 13 to the framework of the furnace. The bolts connecting the bell-ring to the upper portion of the charging-hopper are then removed and the bell-ring and bell lowered by a reversal of the described operation until the bell rests upon rails 14, placed across the mouth of the furnace and in line with rails 15 on the platform on the top of the furnace. Previous to the abovedescribed operation a new bell and ring 16 have been raised by means of one or the other of the cranes 17 and placed upon the rails 15 on the platform, as shown in Fig. 1. As soon as the old bell and ring have been lowered, as described, they are pushed 06 to one side, the rod 5 being previously disconnected, and the new bell and ring pushed into position onto the rails 14 across the furnace. The rod 5 is then connected to the new bell, which, with the bell-ring, is raised in the manner heretofore described until the bell-ring comes into position against the upper portion of the main or charging hopper, when these two parts are bolted together and the whole lowered into position.

It is characteristic of my improvement that by so constructing the bell-operating mechanism that certain parts or elements thereof can be disconnected, shifted from normal relation, and reconnected such mechanism can be used for shifting the hopper or hoppers as to permit of the substitution of a new bell and ring for old parts.

I claim herein as my invention 1. A blast-furnace-charging apparatus having in combination a charging-hopper, a bell, mechanism for shifting the bell to open and closed position and means whereby the bellshifting mechanism is adapted for changing the bell, 620., While operating in its usual length of stroke, substantially as set forth.

2. A blast-fumace-charging apparatus having in combination a charging-hopper, a bell, mechanism for operating the bell adjustably connected to the latter, and means for supporting the bell When raised above its normal or closed position to permit of the adjustment of the connections between the bell and the operating mechanism, substantially as set forth.

3. A blastfurnace-charging apparatus having in combination a charging-hopper, a bell, mechanism for operating the bell, ad ustable connections from the bell to the operating mechanism and means for supportingthe bell, such means being adapted to relieve the connections of the Weight of the bell to permit of their adjustment during such adjustment, substantially as set forth.

4. A blast-furnace-charging apparatushaving in combination a charging-hopper, a bell, a lever connected to the bell, a fluid-pressure cylinder and piston'having an adjustable connection to the lever, and means for preventing the shifting of the bell during its adjustment, such means being adapted to relieve the connections of the Weight of the bell to permit of their adjustment, substantially as set forth.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand.

' ALTER KENNEDY.

Witnesses F. E. GAITI-IER, FRED KIRGHNER. 

